GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- Democratic Minority Leader Richard Hammel bid farewell from the House floor this morning, condemning partisan politics and the right-to-work controversy in his goodbye speech.

Hammel, D-Mt. Morris Twp., is in the final stretch of his sixth year in office. Term limits barred him from running again.

In his speech, Hammel spoke of the Legislature before Republicans won a majority in the House in 2010, gaining control of both chambers.

His comments came right before the Michigan House passed a right-to-work bill, largely along party lines, that would prohibit public employee unions from requiring union dues or fees as a condition of employment.

"This is what it was like when there was shared power: No legislation was passed without bipartisan shared support... The same cannot be said today," he said. "Constituencies of both sides had some level of protection... At the end of the day, this state was better for that."

Hammel took exception to some using the term "union thug" as lawmakers considered the right-to-work legislation.

The measure is especially controversial in Flint, which has deep union
roots as the birthplace of General Motors and the scene of the historic
Flint Sit-Down Strike of 1936-37, which resulted in United Auto Workers
being recognized as the collective bargaining unit for GM workers.

Hammel, a third generation UAW member, said his wife, daughters and son are also union members. His grandfather was a Sit-Downer and his grandmother also worked in the plant during that era, he said.

"I want to assure you I'm a proud union member, but I'm not a
union thug," he said. "I am a face of labor. I am not THE face of
labor, but I am a face of labor."

Hammel, who has held public office at the township, county and state level for two decades, said it has been an "honor" to represent his constituents. He's a former chairman of the Genesee County Board of Commissioners and, prior to that, a township trustee.

"Special thanks to the residents of Mt. Morris Township," he said. "These past years have been interesting to say the least."